


Another Way Out

by Silits



Category: Karneval (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Zombie Apocalypse, Blood, Blood and Gore, Gore, Graphic Description, Graphic Description of Corpses, M/M, Minor Character Death, POV Third Person, The Last of Us - Freeform, Weapons, Zombies, character injury
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-08-13
Updated: 2017-08-13
Packaged: 2018-12-14 17:34:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,223
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11788032
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Silits/pseuds/Silits
Summary: It’s been years.He could tell whenever he dared to look in the mirror. He wasn’t a scrawny child anymore.But he moved on- anyone caught up in the past never made it far.So maybe that’s why there wasn’t a sense of dread as he bled out on the ground, the white haired boy screaming at him to get up.As long as the boy made it out alive, he would go in peace.





	Another Way Out

**Author's Note:**

> WARNING! This book will be very graphic when it comes to killing and zombies and dealing with injuries.May not be a good read for the soft hearted and could be triggering. Please proceed with caution.
> 
>  
> 
> So all I could think about while playing The Last Of Us was Gareki and Nai, because, c'mon, it's perfect for them.
> 
> This isn't a completely original plot. The credit for part of it is Naughty Dogs and their amazing game.
> 
> This was a long chapter to edit and I was too excited to not post it, so there will be some grammatical errors. Pardon me.

The shadows stretched over the dirty brick walls as the sun started its slow trek down the skyline, the sky a slight darker blue than normal, only signaling rain for that night. The streets were mostly quiet, trouble not having been stirring since the last shooting a couple days back, killing two teenage boys that belonged to Circus, the rivaling community against the Quarantine Zones. The Boys had seen it all, having been hiding in the shadows that were stretched on the wall, the same shadows The Boys were in now. A group of about five hid as guards guarded the front gate, waiting for the sixth to show up. 

It was getting late for them- they had to start going back to base, away from priding eyes that could find what was hiding in their bags, and then have their brains splattered on the street, the same street the teenagers had been killed. Green eyes scanned the road as the gate opened once more, letting in a pair of women that lightly chatted between each other and ignoring the atmosphere this place had, as if they didn't know just how dire the situation has been becoming lately. The Boys stayed in the shadow, the women not being who they had been waiting for sadly. 

"Common, let's just go. He's not coming back anytime soon." Someone groaned quietly in the back, their patience wearing thin. 

"No. Not yet." The voice came sharp, from the very front of the group. The one closest to the gate. 

"It's getting late. And we're hungry! We've been at it since five this morning." The others hummed in agreement, someone's stomach doing it for them. 

Sighing, a gloved hand hid the green eyes from the light, the headache that he was bearing currently making everything worse. He knew they had to go, it was getting borderline dangerous being here just a second longer than they should. He was just getting anxious- it shouldn't have been taking this long. He sent one out for that very reason. 

'You gotta do things yourself if you want it done correctly.' The thought echoed in his head, his humming head complaining at the bright light. They had to go, they couldn't be here any longer. Besides, tonight was gonna be a long one for all of them. Might as well rest up.

"Alright." Kicking off the wall, the hooded figure turned on his heel and walked further into the alley, the one that would take them to their base.

It was stupid. He had been doing this for practically ten years- all of them. They have been trying to survive for years, in a world that just wanted to kill off the human race. It was dumb that they hadn't given up. 

There was only one thing dumber than the Quarantine Zones: Circus. Their stupid hope was always trying to reign in people to join their cause, to try and fight back against the things out there. 

The walk to the base was mostly quiet, a cough or two, must mostly it was just the dripping of the water that had collected in a crook, finally falling to splat against the floor and the more frequent splash of a puddle being stepped into. 

Life had been tough for the six boys at the base recently. They haven't been able to find many things of great value to sell recently. It was so bad, that had to start taking up raiding the houses nearby again, and that was never good. The police would start getting on their asses and they had to be extra careful to cover their tracks, look less suspicious out on the streets, act a little more normal. It wasn't that hard for the other five of the group, there was just one. One that had a hard time doing anything really. 

When the rusty outside of their base could be seen, the four behind the hooded figure ran past shoving at each other to get in through the door first, trying to prevent what happened the last time when two tried to get in at the same time, getting stuck and breaking the shit in their bag that was to sell for profit. Their leader hadn't been so happy about it. They had all gotten at least a twenty minute lecture as to why they were imbeciles and why they had to be more careful, as their survival literally depended on the profit that they got for their findings.

"I'm home." It was said in a small voice, as the hood was finally pushed away from the face, giving better view to the green eyes hidden beneath it. The footfalls didn't echo in here, the warmth hitting the pale face as the boy walked into where everyone else was already stuffing their faces of the food that they barely had. A warm arm circled over the boy's shoulders.

"Welcome home Gareki-kun."

Sitting down at a chair away from the commotion the others were making, green eyes shut, head tilted all the way back, sleep barely just in arms reach. 

It's been hard on him. 

The boy has hardened, ever since the two women most important in his life were killed, he hadn't been the same. He had been a child, it was too soon for him to have two prominent figures in his life fade away just as his parents had. It wasn't fair. 

He couldn't remember after that. Maybe the weight of another's hand, pulling him along back into the commotion, but none of that had mattered when his eyes had been blurred with tears, the light around him only becoming blinding when the tears glazed over his eyes, stretching and bending the light in ways it wasn't yet doing. He can't remember when he was locked away in these huge walls, hiding them from the world over it, eating outside to bite their heads off and feast. It was terrifying.

The child does remember when a woman had found them and taken them home, having had other boys already and the same as them. Orphans. 

"Do you think Grandpa is still alive?" 

He remembers being asked one day when he was sitting on the windowsill, his feet kicking out as he watched the clouds slowly drift away, silent as to not disturb the peace around him.

The answer was obvious. The poor soul was already dead. Probably one of the firsts. Probably infected already as well.

"I don't know." He settled for that answer, not wanting to disappoint the other further. He needed his head on his shoulders, not up his ass. 

For certain, he does remember when he started doing this, when he realized just how bad their household was holding up. He started to work multiple jobs, take multiple shifts, work after hours. It still hadn't been enough for them. He was paid lowly. 

Being asked questions every night where he had wondered off to and where he was getting the things he was getting. He remembers trying something knew, something thrilling, something he had never thought before. Before long, he told the others about it, and they too started to help. 

Now, originally it had been more than six boys. It had been double, triple, even. They all.... are no longer with them. 

He remembers every death, in explicit detail. It haunted him every time he closed his eyes, but he never showed it. It may not seem like it, but he does care for those that has. He doesn't attach himself to them as he did to the others, but he was still loyal.

He grew up to be Gareki. A boy who had seen too much and been through too much for his age. Just like the rest of the kids that are still breathing, who had already been breathing before the world went straight down to hell.

It was hard living knowing that one day there would be no one left, bodies to rot as the sun became hotter, the reeking smell of death in every nook and cranny that there was in the world. It wouldn't matter in a few years what you looked like or what language you spoke, because the earth was going to continue revolving even if everyone ended a walking brainless mess. It maybe was cruel to think that way, but it was true.

No one was meant to survive in what was now called Earth.

The front door slammed open, jolting the boy's at the table, one of them choking on the soup due to his fright, while Gareki snapped his head up to the sound of running footfalls and a fast breath. 

"Gareki!" A male with short light brown hair came into the room, doubling over once he saw the other clad in blue, an attempt to catch his breath.

"Yotaka what happened?" Gareki stood up from the chair he had been sitting in, his senses heightening as a precaution. Yotaka took a few seconds to breath, his hands on his knees as he panted greedily for air.

"I-it's Meiga." Everyone froze up at that name. Everyone knew about Gareki's relationship with Meiga. Both boys - Gereki and Yotaka - had known him before the fall of humanity, and that their (Yotaka's, really) sister had dated the man. 

"What is it this time?" 

Best not get in their way when it came down to it.

"The weapons t-that are ours. The ones he owes us! I was counting down at our other base when I went to rest a-and... he owes us big time! And we had already given him all the ration cards that we had for them." The main principal that helped people get by now a days was ration cards. People got mugged for ration cards. People got killed for ration cards. People would murder for ration cards. People would do absolutely anything for ration cards. It was fruitless either way, as the food that was being brought to the Area's wasn't enough for everyone. Especially for the amount of ration cards out at the moment. 

Ration cards was pretty much the currency here.

"Last time I heard of him, he was running from us. I-I can't remember where off to. He can't- he can't be that far- he was still in Area 2 just a couple days ago." Yotaka was finally pulling himself together, beads of sweat still rolling down his forehead and cheeks.

"That sonova' bitch." The raven haired boy ran a hand down his face and then proceeded to run his temples. Holy fuck, he was only 16, couldn't he have a break? He was gonna have wrinkles by the time he was 18. 

That is if he lived hat long.

Gareki never liked the older man. Sure, he said he had been in love with Tsubaki, but Gareki called bull. He didn't trust this guy, he never had and never will. It was always as if he was hiding shit in the bushes, cutting corners and lies the only thing that ever came out of his shitty mouth. That man had no moral. He didn't love Tsubaki either. Sure, he had shot that man that had started shooting at the trio when running away from the fire and infected that ran everywhere around the streets, but he only did it because Tsubaki was there, because he needed her trust for whatever sick twisted thing he was to do to them. Gareki will surely fuck his ass up before shoving a stick up there.  He just always had to try him. It was getting quite annoying and it needed to end. Today.  

"Circus is also after him." 

"Alright. We are going." The boys at the table started shifting to get up when Gareki help up a hand in their direction to signal them to stop. "No, we are going alone. It would just cause commotion. I appreciate you wanting to help though." This was something these two needed to do alone. They needed to set some ground rules.

Being smart, the raven put away all the treasure he had dug up for pay and notified the boys as to where to find it as he didn't think he would get home in time for the underground market that night. He made sure to bring extra ration cards with two water bottles, then the boys jumped down the small hole in the back room that contained bookbags full of necessities. Gareki's was already on the table as he had gotten home late last night, his pistol laying out from the bag with a cartridge on the floor that he had been too tired to pick up. Leaning down to pick it up, it didn't make sense to take another bag to slow him down while he needed to catch an asshole that was on the loose running from them. So instead he just put the pistol in his pocket with two cartridges and a few others in his bag, his baggage light and perfect. 

It wasn't fun, living this life. Especially with what these boys did for a living. So young and having to take part in the underground life. So many of them had been killed off, even to Gareki, it was saddening.

Checking the amount of bullets and the safety, the raven looked over as Yotaka's gun clicked as he pushed back, then he too put it away.

"You know, I don't get it." Yotaka softly said as he pulled himself onto the table and sat there, looking at Gareki as he crossed his arms with the table digging into his hip. "He used to care about us." Not a second later the older boy scoffed, his eyes rolling.

"That bitch never cared two cents about us." Honestly, it was painful to see just how stupid the brunette still was about the whole ordeal. Even ten years later. "He was using your sister- let me finish." Green eyes narrowed when the other opened his mouth to defend the enemy here. And to think someone like him would soon figure out the truth at some point even if it had been looking at him in the eyes the whole time. "He was trying to get something out of this the whole time. Can't you see? He hates me. He hates me because I know something. I would have thought that you would have figured that out by now. Your fifteen, Yotaka. It's time you open your eyes to the wold around you." Gareki kicked off, his steps echoing around him as he walked further into the dark hallway that would lead them out. On his way, the raven almost tripped over the dead body there, and he made a mental note to take that out when he came back. It's disgusting how it was still there. It was here even before Area 2 was built. Poor man probably shot himself dead.

Yotaka soon joined him, his hands in his pockets as they silently made their way through the streets underground. Light was peeking in up ahead notifying the boy's that they were almost to the exit. Gloved fingers stuck out as the raven pushed up the board that hid the entrance to their underground tunnel, holding it up for Yotaka and followed soon after. It wasn't exactly a safe place to have an entrance to their home as it was close to the gates, but it came in handy sometimes. 

They walked to the gate that had less guards than usual, a big sign over head with 'Area 3' in bright red. When they walked to the entrance, the guard requested for their ID's, in which both fished in their bags for them. As Gareki took his out and opened to the right page to show the sneering asshole, the ground shook and took Yotaka down, his knees slamming into the street below him as gun shots were heard, fire starting up on the other side of the gate as it burned one of the guards alive.

"Shit!" The sneering asshole that had talked to the boys started closing up the gates while said boys stepped back ready to whip out their guns if needed. "It's Circus!" 

"Of fucking course." Gareki growled, as he watched a molotov get thrown around burning another two guards. This was the safest place to get to Area 3 without having to do any major walking. 

Yotaka was busy rubbing his knees that had suffered a hard slam against the hard floor, a pout decorating his lips as his eyes watched the mess continue over the barred gates.

"Now what?" His pained voice came, having trouble straightening out as to not cause further pain to his joints. 

"We'll have to go around." The words were forced past teeth, and the way he said the last word showed just how unhappy he was. He had a headache and he should have brought some pills along the way. He knew that it was his goggles that laid on his head but he refused to take them off. He'll just loosen the strap later, right now they had to do something about this mess. Running a hand through his hair the raven turned on his heel in a quickened manner, pulling up the hood of his jacket to hide his face. He didn't like the town. They walked through ally's when they could, but sometimes they had to cross a Main Street or two. The place they were headed wasn't far, on three to four minutes away from where they had been. It was a shaggy old building that no one used which was better to hide their little discovery. Their entrance was a high window which could be reached if one climbed the fire escape on the opposite building and then jump down onto the open windowsill and then jump down from there. One had to be careful with the glass right below that was covered with Gareki's blood.

It had been an accident that they discovered this place. Gareki was running from a male that seemed to have gone crazy, one who had a big distaste for the raven, and he knew why but never said. The green eyed boy was able to climb onto the fire escape but had been quickly followed, and then followed with a fist fight. Somewhere along the line he had been kicked off and crashed into the glass. His neck hadn't been covered and was cut, spilling blood everywhere on the floor and his jacket. It took weeks to get all the blood out of his favorite jacket and his mood had been worse along those days. 

The glass glass crunched under the raven's boots as he landed, his eyes looking over the inside. Everything seemed normal and in place so it seemed as if no one had been in there. The boxes still nicely hid the hole that led to underneath, but that didn't mean no one- or thing -was down there. Putting on their gas masks, Yotaka jumped down first, his landing loud due to him landing on the gravel below. Gareki was close behind him, his gun already ready. The spores had been getting worse over the months and it was harder to see, making this area all the more dangerous. They weren't the only ones who used the underground system, so anyone could have gotten trapped down here. It was like a maze, some hallways leaning into dead ends and others into other's territory, something one must avoid at all costs unless one wanted to die. The opening was just up head when there was a distorted gurgling sound. Gareki pushed them both up against a wall as his eyes dashed around looking for the direction it had come from. 

Taking a tentative step forward, the green eyed teen had his gun already positioned for any surprise, his breathing shallow so he could hear, his eyes everywhere at the same time as he took another step forward. He was just about to turn the edge when something came out of nowhere, tackling Gareki to the floor, a rotten smell attacking Gareki's nose under the mask. He tried pushing, he kicked and kicked, even tried to roll, but this one was tough even if it was partially dead. It snapped its mouth close to his neck, the raven's arm barely able to keep the other away any longer. It stopped struggling soon as a ringing rang around, making everything go silent. It seemed safe until there was more gurgling, but it came from more than one thing. There were a few, fast running one. 

Runners.

In a hurry, the raven pushed the one on top fo him off as reached for his gun, barely shooting one in the forehead before it grabbed his arm to munch. 

"Fuck! How many got stuck in here without a mask?" Gareki shot another, wincing when it shed more blood than it should have. 

It was just recently turned. Poor soul.

As another body fell, there was no more movement but just blood everywhere. 

"Shit!" Yotaka gasped, his hand on his knees as he panted from the adrenaline. "I will never get used to that."

"No one should ever have to." Gareki replied as he stepped over the bodies that now really were dead. Not just rotting and wondering, biting and eating others. "C'mon." The outside granted fresh air as they climbed out, the trees and grass under them green as anything could ever be. It had been a few days since they used this path. Seems as if it had been a while since others had used this path as well. 

Grabbing the hidden ladder, both boys climbed up into a cemented balcony before pushing the ladder down back into hiding, making their way to the other side to climb a few cemented stairs to a flat roof before jumping off to the other side. There was a brick wall covered in vines with a few large cracks. Sticking his hands in a large crack, Gareki pulled, revealing a way inside. It was closed as soon as they got in, and made their way by jumping down a few railings to the ground. Landing in an alley, they made their way to the main street that was covered with males that acted all tuff, all gangsters of some sort.

Welcome to Area 3.

Yotaka went first as he was in this area the most. Everyone knew him and some would even wave a quick hello, but would glare suspicion at Gareki. Someone called the brunette over so the raven continued on his own, pushing past some males and ignoring others that obviously wanted to start a fight with him for dominance. As he got further in the stares became worse and at one point two men tried to get in his way. He just sidestepped them and continued, not exactly in the mood to have a brawl. Maybe another day. As he got to a freight box that was opened on either sides, the male sitting inside stopped him, asking him as to where the hell he thinks he was going.

"Sorry bud' you ain't allowed in 'here." He puffed out the words, smoke surrounding him as he spoke, his yellow teeth showing. 

"Easy with him, he's with me." Yotaka spoke from behind him, causing the man to give a small jump.

"A-ah 'Taka, sorry. Didn't know." He instantly pulled back the arm that was on Gareki's chest to keep him from moving forward. "Guessing you looking for Meiga? He just passed not to long ago. Maybe five minutes or so." Yotaka gave a nod and pushed the frozen Gareki forward as he gave the other a thank you. 

"Please Gareki. Don't start a fight here." The brunette whispered, pushing the other forward until he started walking on his own accord. The teen walked with his hands in his jacket's pockets, a pout clear on his face as he walked through the metal box, his eyebrow twitching in annoyance. This was why he hated Area 3. It may be a good place to scavenge, but it wasn't fun until a fight broke out between gangs and one accidentally gets caught in the crossfire. Gareki would know. It had happened to him once and he had bruises for weeks on end after.

"Bastard need to keep his arms to himself." The words were murmmered. As soon as they exited the metal box, they were on a street that they had to walk to then get on a metal balcony which both jumped over. They walked in silence from there, turning corners and avoiding getting seen as they made their way to the center. It was probably where the bitch was hiding. Right where he thinks he was the safest. They walked some more before a cluster a voices were head.

"Bastards little friends coming over." Said a gruff voice.

"We can just shoot 'em dead tho'. That what he said." 

"He said we could do that to the young brown haired one. He wants one with the goggles to be at least a bit alive so we can take him back." 

The spot that both were hidden was close enough to hear the words and instantly Gareki sneered. He started changing the cartridge and snapped it back in place pushing the top back and clicking safety off. It was clear where his intentions were as well.

"Go that way and I'll go this way. Don't shoot unless you need to. There are others waiting for us l'm sure." It was annoying how Meiga already knew that they would go alone and not bring any of their friends. Playing know it all. One reason why the teen hated him so much; playing god in a time like this. So immature.

Rolling quickly behind another box, pressing his back flush against the heavy wood, Gareki chanced a glance around and saw one walking his way. As soon as he was close enough, he grabbed his foot and brought him down, a knife appearing and digging itself into the dark skinned man's neck. It was twisted once halfway and was yanked out, the man's eyes rolled back into his head and definitely dead. Lifting from his straddle on the man, the raven creeped behind a car, seeing Yotaka take a second male down silently, only one left.

"Yo laddies, where did you go?" The one left was a little always from the raven, but if the raven ran fast enough he could catch the other off guard.

As the other turned, Gareki gave himself a boost before he started running right into the male as he turned to face him. The male cracked his head against the sharp edge of a misplaced table, blood spraying everywhere, but he still kept going. He attempted to grab the teen's arm, his intentions to twist it and hopefully switch their positions.Grabbing his head, Gareki raised it before slamming it back into the table another sickening crack sounded, and this time he didn't move again. Stepping away, the raven cleaned his knife against the dead man's pants before he sheathed it again, turning away from the carcass with distaste.

They laid low for the rest of the way, running from cover to cover around the maze of the buildings, knowing very well that the male that they were after was hiding in one of them. It wasn't very far from the first sight that other men came for them only feeding Gareki's anger. The raven wasn't so subtle the second time as he stabbed a dude from behind right in front of his friends. He used the body as a shield as the other two whipped out their guns and started shooting, a knife soon found in each of their throats. The shooting had caused attention from others, so they climbed a building and ran from roof to roof, being as close to the ground as they could while running. Someone had started shooting them from behind, almost piercing the raven's ear as it rushed by, but was soon silenced by one of Gareki's bullets right in between the eyes. 

As soon as they found cover in a semi-isolated place, they got onto their stomachs and slid to the edge of the roof having heard voices. What a dandy coincidence that their culprit was with the others, looking over his shoulder a couple of times knowing exactly that they were onto his ass. It was almost too easy, Gareki thought, his fists tightening as he looked around. Maybe they were being set up, and they walked right into it. Meiga wasn't a very smart person to begin with, so maybe they just got lucky.

With absolutely no hesitation, a black sleek pistol held by a gloved hand appeared aiming for one of the males closest to Meiga.

"Gareki-kun! What are you doing? He'll run away!" The older only shook the other off, repositioning his arm. 

"Let him run. We'll catch him either way." The sentence was punctuated with the trigger being pulled, the bullet hitting a buff man right in the temple. Shock ran throughout the group as blood splattered, red-violet eyes narrowing on Gareki, freezing up as their gazes locked for a few full seconds. The male turned on his heel and started to run his scarf following close behind him, his white jacket splattered with blood. 

"Go, go!" Gareki yelled at Yotaka as he continued to shoot the others before they could find a place to hide. The brunette jumped up quickly and jumped down off of the roof, following the older male. More men came running at the sound of bullets, all which got their own mark in the middle of their forehead, each falling down like marionettes with no strings. 

Yotaka could only curse his own luck for not being that fast, but he could have sworn that the other had run into this big warehouse. His gun was up and positioned, his other hand gripping his wrist for better stability as he circled, looking for his target. As glass cracked behind him, he turned, his gun aiming at thin air before a hand appeared over his mouth, an arm pulling him in against a hard chest. He kicked as he tried to cry out, even tried biting on the hand to no avail.

Gareki on the other hand currently kicked a man off of the roof, faintly hearing the body hit the ground as he grabbed another male and swung him over before letting go as he too fell off. 

"Are you kidding? He's fifteen, ladies!" Elbowing another that came after him, he gave a roundhouse kick to his ribs, pushing him against another before he pushed them both over the railing on the other side. In a second the green eyed boy had his gun aimed and shot the male who had mocked him, his lifeless body falling to the floor in a useless heap. The blood ran through the indents on the white metal roof, collecting im a small pool as his wound bled.

"Sixteen, actually." He easily stepped over the dead man to get to the edge of the roof and jumped off in pursuit of the others. On the way to where he thought the other two had gone, he found a nifty metal pole in which he swung around a couple of times, liking the weight and length, he took it with him. 

Yotaka writhed in his grip, his nails digging into Meiga's side, which the younger brunette got a kick for.

"Easy there, unless you want me to shoot Gareki on sight? Hm?" The hand around his mouth tightened before it loosened, and replaced the arm around his waist in favor of grabbing his gun with the other, already having it raised of the entrance that he knew Gareki would come from.

"What's wrong with you? What happened? All we want is our weapons and you are free to go. Why do you always have to make things difficult. It's been hard to get Gareki to like you and doing all this will only want Gareki to have you headless before he likes you." Yotaka continued to kick, only causing the arm to tighten around him and making it harder to breath. "Stop! Let me go!" 

"Shut up. The point is that I won't give you guys the weapons. I need it more than a group of six year olds who don't know to use them. I have a company to run you know? My men can use them b-" The sound of metal hitting hard bone resonated in the room, echoing as it was big and pretty much empty. Crying out in pain, Meiga let go of Yotaka to shift to the side and grab his head in pain, blood running the side of his head from the deep cut.

"Your men can what better than us?" Came the angered voice. The smuggler didn't answer, he just got up and tried to run for the door, his vision swimming and his steps messy. He made it out to the alleyway where the other two followed closely, the metal pole grinding against the ground behind the raven taunting the old male. 

Meiga fell as he tripped over his own feet. Turning into his back, he tried to concentrate on the blue clad teen that had him trapped, forcing a fake smile onto his face as he tried to concentrate on the boy. 

"G-Gareki! It really is nice to see-"

"Shut the fuck up old fart. Tell me where the fuck our guns are. Right now unless you want your brains to be painting this here pretty little concrete." The sound of a gun clicking reached the frightened male's ears, the teenager true on his promise.

"A-ah y-you see Gareki. Something funny happened a-and..."

Kicking Meiga's side he aimed the gun right at his face. 

"Where are the fucking arms!" It was forceful enough to get the brunette to flinch, his hands coming up and shaking. 

"I-I don't have them!" The silence after that was so thick that it would have been hard to cut it with a nice and sharp knife. It was tense and it was dangerous.

"You what." It was said lowly, too calmly to be safe.

In the background the daily announcement sounded. 'It has now reached curfew and everyone must stay in their houses at this time. Anyone outside will be taken into custody...' the robotic voice sounded, but it was heavily dulled with the intense glare that the boy was giving to the smuggler.

"I'm sorry Gareki! I-I'm really sorry! I sold them to Circus because they were offering a good price and I just had to!" He gave a nervous laugh, his face contorted weirdly. "Y-you understand, right? Right?" 

"Go to hell." 

The cartridge in the pistol had been new, but now it was empty, all the bullets decorated across the now dead body below them. Blood splattered the floor in an artistic way, a sick way, a beautiful way. A noise a little ways had the teen raising his gun up, taking a step forward despite his gun begging empty. The sound had come from behind a few boxes, which Gareki slowly closed in on, his other hand still gripping the pipe that he had found earlier.

From their hiding spot came a blue haired man, dressed in a white button up shirt and a grey-purple long pants, brown boots to top it off. He held up a gun as a hand cradled the side of his head. Both of the teens visibly relaxed, their guns being lowered at the sight of each other. Stepping out from behind the boxes, the blue haired male pressed tighter against the wound on his head, a bracelet around his wrist showing just exactly who he was affiliated with.

"Gareki-kun." The other nodded his head in greeting as the raven dug his hands into his pockets.

"Karoku." Replied the bored voice. "What brings Circus here?" Light blue eyes looked over at Yotaka and back to the raven, resting on a box to hold his weight.

"I've come here to seal our deal with Meiga. By the way, have you seen him anywhere?" Gareki only stepped away, revealing the dead body behind him littered with gunshots.

"Oh."

Yotaka visibly started wiggling and playing with his fingers, trying to figure out what to say, knowing that the older would make everything worse for them.

"Karoku.... those guns that Maiga had sold you.... they weren't his to sell. They were actually ours." He took a deep breath in, trying to stop fidgeting so much. "We would like them back. Please." Laugher was the only thing that the light blue haired boy responded with, his laugh pained but joyous.

"I'm sorry, I can't do that. We really need them for our ambushes." 

Gareki wasn't too happy with what he was being told, his body tensing up as he ran a hand trough his hair.

They had gone through so much that day to get their guns back, to possibly return home empty handed. That would be a big blow to Gareki's pride, and a blow that he was not going to permit to affect him. He was going to get those guns. One was or another. They were rightfully his in the first place, and they were to be for his team. He was _not_ going to leave empty handed.

"How many ration cards are we talking about here?" They only brought so much. It could be possible that they didn't even have enough in the first place to give in return for their weapons. Karoku just laughed once more, this time at the raven.

"Nothing. I do not intend to give them back, I'm sorry. I was promised these guns and we really do need them." Groaning at the end as the boy moved his hand on his head, he put more weight onto the boxes beside him.

"We can make a deal though. If you can get me something outside the Quarantine Zones, I will give you everything that we bought and some." Green and brown eyes eyed the other, before Yotaka glanced at the raven, nodding his head over to the other as if saying to accept. They really did need those guns. Gareki just ignored him, his face folding up so he could look down his nose at the other, fixing him with a glare.

"How do I know you aren't lying?" It was pretty much a growl, his hand tightening over the pistol in his pocket.

"You can come see for yourself. Please. I was told I could count on you if I ever need help, Gareki. You know this. It's a special package and it will be quick I promise. I just need it delivered by tonight. And you can have all the arms that I promised." The other sounded tired honestly, and he seemed ready to give out any moment. "I would do it myself but I can't." As he said this, he took the hand on his head away, revealing a hand heavily coated with blood. 

"I will go and confirm." Yotaka added as he tugged on the cuff of the raven's jacket, his eyes begging to have him accept the offer. He knew it was nothing that he couldn't handle. Just the fact that he had to do even more for something that was rightfully his was pissing him off to no end.

"Fine." The simple word was harsh, venom dripping from it.

"Thank you." In contrast, his words were soft and breathless as he got up, waving a hand in their direction to follow. 

They had to get to the small opening under the bridge to get to the hideout in which he was hiding the special package, meaning there was more people they had to kill. On their way to the bridge, Gareki reloaded his gun, Yotaka doing the same. Crossing the bridge wasn't hard. It was mostly done stealthily, taking out guys when others weren't looking. It was only difficult when Karoku got in the way. The other half of the bridge was spent burying bullets in other people's brains, pushing them over the edges, or knocking them out when possible. It was a mess to say in the least, and took much longer than it should have if Gareki's would have been allowed to take them all out on his own. 

He never misses a target.

Kicking the final guard off the bridge to a kick in the face, making their way down the crumbled path as they ran to the hidden building below, the door needing to be kicked open due to its rusty mess. 

The room was dusty as Gareki dusted his eyes over the room, trying to find this special package that he had been told of, secretly hoping that they hadn't been tricked by the eldest teenager. As the raven took a step in, behind Karoku, he was tackled onto a chair, a small body crashing into him violently. Reacting fast, he grabbed the thin arm that had a knife in its grasp, holding hard enough for there to be a pained cry and the knife to be dropped.

"Nai stop!" Karoku cried out, his hand reaching out signaling for him to stop. Gareki to let go of the other, backing away to see a short child with white hair with purple tips in the back, dirtied porcelain skin and red doe eyes, looking straight up at him which he challenged with a glare. 

This Nai kid immediately stopped and rushed over to Karoku, noticing the light blue strands glued down to his head by the crimson blood seeping from his wound.

"They didn't hurt you did they?" It was a frantic question, his eyes wide with worry as he flailed his hands looking around for what to do. 

"Nai- Nai look at me. It's okay. These guys didn't do this to me. They are going to take you out, okay?" Karoku soothed, running his fingers through the white of the others hair.

"Wait, back the fuck up. This is the package we are to deliver? Fuck no. I am not going to deal with a little kid. I thought we were being serious here." Arms crossed and glare on full power, the green eyed teen only sneered at the two.

"C'mon Gareki. Nai will be good. He had only been frightened when you walked in. Please. I'm willing to give you even more weapons, but please, get him out of here." The man practically pleaded, his free hand petting the other. "Other Circus members will be there to take him from there, and you can come back into the Quarantine Zone and you'll be free of him. Please I can't do this myself. I need aid, not stress." Before the annoyed boy could speak, Yotaka cut him off.

"We'll do it. I just need to see the guns and we will be off." Gareki's glare was quickly redirected to Yotaka, his fists clenching with anger.

Karoku nodded in thanks. 

The blue haired male gave them directions to be at the clearing in half an hour, where Yotaka would meet them again and they could start getting Nai out of the walls. So that was what Gareki was doing in an elevator going down underground, with a boy barely 10.

"Will Karoku be okay?" This kid didn't seem to get the fact that he didn't want to talk.

"He'll be fine."

The silence lasted until the elevator reached the bottom floor, the underground filthy as ever.

"Listen, thanks. I know it's hard to send another person you don't know out of the walls. I'm Nai Muhinyi and I'm 13." Well shit, guess he wasn't 10. Still didn't change the fact that he was practically with a kid. He fully intended to not get caught up with this kid. He was just going to deliver him and head back in. Nothing good would come out with mixing his own life with this child. He would do his job, come back in and get his guns, and never think about him again. He could care less about what Circus was doing. He could care less why they were using an underaged child for whatever they were doing. It was never a good idea to get involved with Circus.

Under their feet was a bunch of debris that collected over the years after the fall of humanity, so many years into the concrete, more years than some people in the Zones. Sometimes it hit Gareki just how long he has been fighting to stay alive when all he wanted was peace. He never though that he would make it this far. He did have a big ego, but he never let that try to get in the way, and knowing how the world was before the fall, and now living after the fall, it was hard to see if he would make it to see the end of the fall. It's been ten years and nothing has changed apart from the world getting worse. He was sixteen. Fuck, he was lucky he even survived this long. He saw people who would register in the Zones to only get killed a day, a week, a month later. Then there is this kid who seems to have a good life in the walls, in the safety that he deserved, to only have the raven escort him out into the dangers of the world. 

Pulling up heavy sticks that were in the way, he let the boy pass before he quickly pushed himself through letting go of the wood, a dust cloud forming behind him as they fell and collapsed. 

He barely used this rout. Never really needed it, and maybe he should have paid more attention the last few times to get there faster but it was already done. Despite not knowing where to go, he got them out quicker than he would have thought. Grabbing a box that seemed to be able to hold both their weight, was put directly under a hole that they had to climb. Nai went first and waited patiently while Gareki hauled himself up before motioning to a ladder behind him. The white haired boy did as he was told and started to climb the ladder, pushing open a trap door at the very top. Fresh air came in as the boy exited to a wooden fenced area that contained a door behind them, as it appeared to be a sniper would hide during attacks.

Nai looked over his shoulder as the lock of the trapdoor sounded, the older teenager sitting down cross-legged with a relieved sigh, tipping his head back and resting his head against the wall, his eyes closed. To Nai, he seemed exhausted- like he hadn't slept properly in a long time. It was true. 

Gareki hadn't gotten a good nights rest since that night. 

The younger boy was curious about the other, but decided to not prod about it. Instead, he would talk about other things. 

"You know, I've never been outside these walls. I'm really excited." Nai said as he let his hands hang from the edge of the protecting wood, sitting cross-legged himself, his excitement showing in the way his body would bounce with unconfined energy.

"There's nothing out there." 

"I've heard so many story's of the life before though." His red eyes twinkled in the moonlight, his hands balling up as he thought about what could lay beyond the walls. "This is the only life I have ever known." He seemed too excited. This kid was going to be so disappointed when they left the 'safety of the Quarantine Zones'. He wasn't kidding when he said there was nothing out there.

"It's barren. All you see are things that would literally munch another to have just a finger from you." Cracking an eye open, the green eye assessed the other that was bouncing in his seat. "Don't get your hopes up. It's not beautiful. It's straight out of your nightmares." Personally he didn't care if the boy's expectations didn't meet reality, but to think that out there was beautiful and someone one would want to see is too much. Sure, he didn't like the Quarantine Zones at all but they provided safety. Getting by was hard yes, but he was still breathing at the end of the day. Come one morning he won't be breathing, but that wasn't going to be soon. He wasn't going to let that happen.

"Why do they even need you. Your just a kid." Shit. He got too curious. Never get involved with Circus you dingwit.

Don't get involved with Circus. 

Don't get involved with Circus.

Don't get involved wi-

"Sorry, I can't tell you that. Karoku doesn't want people to think we are crazy." That didn't sound good at all. He may be an bitch and an extreme asshole, but he didn't think using children for unlawful things was a good idea. If he had someone else to do it for him, he should stay back. 

Instead of answering, the raven close his eye once more, letting the soft cool breeze lull him, his gun already ready for a moments notice. Silence stretched out for another ten minutes, Yotaka being late, which didn't settle right with the other. Maybe he just got stuck in a room and he will get out soon. Circus wouldn't injure the team that had their special package would they? Nai had crossed his arms on the wooden ledge and rested his head on them, watching the peculiar boy across from him. He was weird, but Nai didn't mind. He actually seemed nice if you got below that cold outer shell. He wasn't going to say that though. Annoying someone with a gun didn't seem advisable.

The green eyed boy must be special, as Karoku would only give other's his job to people he could trust, especially now when he was the most important thing in the world to the blue haired male. They must be good friends. If so, he has never heard of his friend say so. Neither of the shy looking brunette that that walked in with the raven. Yotaka, was it?

Looking out, Nai tapped his fingers against his arm, his eyes scanning the buildings to the side with their walls covered in vines, having been a while that any life had resided in them. How sad, that anything could be abandoned.

The door was opened slowly, causing Nai to look up, Gareki staying in the same position that he was in, not even his grip tightening on his gun.

"Oh Gareki, you should have seen it." The male said as he closed the door behind him as he stepped out, sitting across from the raven on the trapdoor, his eyes wide. "So much. So much more than what Meiga owed us. Gareki, I don't know what the hell is the deal with this kid," he excitedly whispered as he pointed a finger to the young boy, "but he's gotta be pretty damn important for Karoku to give us that many weapons. Do you even know what we can do with them?" Now it was Yotaka's turn to bounce in his seat, his eyes wider than before with his annoying smile.

Gareki really didn't want to stand, but he growled, stretching his legs out before him as he played with the safety of his pistol. 

"Then we better get moving." 

As Gareki got up, his knees cracked in which he groaned out. Popping his neck and back, giving a satisfied sigh, he started to roll his wrist around as he narrowed his eyes on Nai.

"Listen. As soon as we get off of this, you stick to me very closely, you got that? I wasn't playing when I said those sons of bitches would do anything to bite you." When Gareki got a firm nod from the other he gave Yotaka a glance that said it all, yet he still grabbed onto the wood to his side and threw himself over, falling two stories before hitting the ground. Two thumps sounded behind the male as he walked low to the other side of the area, gun in hand as he turned making sure no one was lurking in the shadows ready to pounce on them at any given moment. Their feet kicked the small rocks on the rode below them, the little things skidding off and hitting anything they came into contact with. 

They slowly neared the opening on the ground that would lead them outside the well guarded walls, out into what was literal hell on earth. Gareki rushed the other two in befit ehe followed, sliding down the slanted concrete, flicking his flashlight on just as Yotaka did the same, handing one to Nai as he did so. 

Moving quietly, Gareki motioned Yotaka over to give him his pistol and flashlight and telling him to direct light in front of him. With his gloved hands, the raven moved some wooden boards away before he grabbed the slab of concrete and rolled it to the side to show a well hidden hole to the other side. Going in first, the raven quickly aimed his gun in front of him, his finger already slightly pressing down on the trigger. Dust flew around in front of the flashlight as they made their way through the underground tunnel, their feet splashing in water that had been collecting over the years. As they got closer to the opening to the outside world, the trio could hear the soft pattering of rain that begun after they entered underground. Nai was ushered out first followed closely by Yotaka, Gareki taking up the end as he made sure no one was following. 

As the raven stepped out, his boots splashed in the puddle that was already forming at the front of the opening, disturbing the rippling of the falling rain. Looking around, he caught no sight of Circus members, so he led the others to follow him around in the sunken areas of the outside that were slowly getting filled with the rain. They rounded a couple cars, hoping that Circus was hiding behind them to find empty space. They were rounding their third car when Gareki was slammed harshly into the automobile, before they did the same to Yotaka, finally taking Nai and forcing him onto his knees. The same was done to the older teens, and instantly Gareki felt a barrel of a gun to his head.

"Put your hands against the back out your head! Don't fucking move or we'll blow your damn brains out." To get his point across, the male shoved his gun harder against raven locks as the female of the pair took out a device and started scanning the back of their necks.

A beep for Yotaka.

A beep for Gareki.

Two beeps for Nai. 

Instantly the woman brought her walkie-talkie to her lips pressing down on the button to speak.

"Sir, we have caught three stranglers trespassing. One of them is infected. Awaiting your word, copy." 

The metal digging into Gareki's head was uncomfortable, his teeth grazing against each other as he tried his best to leash in his anger and not strike to only have himself killed. Yotaka stayed stock still, his eyes wide. With anger or worry, he didn't know.

It was a sudden movement. No one in the whole group saw it coming, especially from the small one. 

Nai cried out as he unhooked his hands from behind his head, his left hand traveling into his boot to pull something out. The soldier who had a gun against Gareki's head doubled over in pain as he cursed out. Even if he didn't know why, the raven shot his hand out and grabbed the back of the soldiers head and used all his strength to slam his head against his knee. The green eyed boy could feel the face giving in with a sick crack, and he quickly let go of the male for his body to fall limply on the floor. Yotaka grabbed the female and shot her in the head as he flipped her over, before he aimed the gun at Nai, obvious anger showing on his features.

"Karoku set us up?"

"What the fuck are we smuggling an infected boy!" The words were sneered, very unlike Yotaka. 

"I-I'm not infected!" Nai cried out as his hands came out in front of him as he was backed up against the car.

"Was this lying?" Gareki threw the device beside Nai, a sneer of his own on his face. Nai was scared, one could easily see it on his face with his red doe eyes blown wide.

"Look!" The white haired boy pulled up his right sleeve to his elbow, showing Gareki and Yotaka the scar of a bite mark.

"I don't care how you got infected!" Yotaka practically screeched, his patience wearing thin as his hand with the gun shook.

"It's three weeks!" 

"No. Everyone turns within two days, so stop bullshitting me." Gareki growled as he ran a hand through his soaked hair, his eyes narrowing on the young boy like as if he was his prey.

"It's three weeks! I swear!" The young teen's voice shook as his eyes grew wide, trembling from the cold and the fear coursing through him like a wildfire.

Gareki opened his mouth to say something when Yotaka hit his arm, nodding over to the headlights of a car coming. 

"Shit." Grabbing Nai's arm forcibly, Gareki jumped down into the pit, running in the water that splashed under him, his anger now adrenaline as he ran. He could hear the curing of the other soldiers as they discovered the dead bodies of their own kind, probably calling in back up. He was right. Within two minuetes, the raven could hear the sound of car wheels, of more than just a few voices of soldiers. He stopped abruptly when a light appeared right in front of him, causing the other two to crash into his back. Thank got it was raining, or else they would have heard them. They continued to run as they were being looked for. The raven sent the others a different way as he decided he could distract some soldiers as they got away. 

As he sneaked around, a gunshot could be heard, piercing the concrete he was hiding behind; meaning they had found him. He quickly shot back, hitting his target before he kept on moving.

From his hiding spot, he could see two guards facing away from him, in which he immediately shot them through their hemets, both falling lifeless. He shot another two when they went to investigate. When those where dead, he ran across the area where he could have easily been shot dead, and pressed his back against more dirtied concrete. A guard was just turning the corner when a glove covered hand shot out and suffocated the man which was dropped on the ground before a blue jacket disappeared the same way he had come from. Right across from his spot was a tube that would take them to a better, more secluded area. Seems as Yotaka had the same idea as their eyes connected. With a nod, Gareki ran out, shooting the guards he could see, a bullet planting itself next to his boot as he turned to shoot the person who had shot the bullet. 

Yotaka already entered when the raven practically crashed into the wall, ducking quickly into the tube and ushering the others forward, his breath coming in quick puffs. They exited a little ways from where they entered, where they dashed into the nearest building for protection from the rain. 

They all rested against a wall, their breathing coming fast and in gasps. They had a reason to. They had almost died back there.

"Tell me.... Nai... where exactly were these... people supposed to... take you?" Gareki asked in between pants, his eyes never leaving Nai. Red eyes flickered away from his gaze, suddenly his boots the most interesting thing in the entire world. He slowly breathed in, trying to time his breaths to calm down, just as Karoku had taught him.

"They were supposed to take me to the court house." That was all he knew. He didn't know why they even needed him there, but they did, and if it made Karoku happy, it made him happy.

Yotaka turned to eye his adopted brother, still having trouble breathing, his face pale.

"Thats about a mile or two away." That seemed close, but when the world had the dead waking on the streets, it wasn't as close as one would hope. Especially here.

Karasuna had been a place with tall skyscrapers. The ones that everyone would ogle from inside the walls.

It was at this moment that the thought passed through Gareki's mind.

'What the _fuck_ did I get myself into?"

**Author's Note:**

> I am not sure how long each chapter will be. This so far has been the more I have written for a single chapter, so the average might be 5K. Sorry to disappoint.
> 
> I encourage to leave feedback, please! It helps me know if I should continue with the story.
> 
>  
> 
> See a grammar mistake? Notify me!


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